MATCH PREVIEW: Central Sparks vs Lancashire Thunder, Charlotte Edwards Cup 2024
Central Sparks v Lancashire Thunder
Charlotte Edwards Cup
Friday June 14, 2024, 3pm
Edgbaston
Lancashire Thunder squad to face Western Storm:
Ellie Threlkeld*+, Alice Clarke, Danni Collins, Kate Cross, Phoebe Graham, Sophie Ecclestone, Liberty Heap, Grace Johnson, Emma Lamb, Katie Mack, Fi Morris , Sophie Morris, Tara Norris, Seren Smale
American seamer Tara Norris has revealed how Red Rose and England legend Jimmy Anderson has boosted her preparations for what is shaping up to be a thrilling Charlotte Edwards Cup run-in with Lancashire Thunder.
In keeping with the Stars and Stripes theme, you could well describe Jimmy as Unbelievably Skilful Anderson.
And it was last Friday that, by chance, the pair ended up bowling together on the Emirates Old Trafford square. So left-armer Norris didn’t let the opportunity to pick his brains pass by.
“I came in early to have a little bowl, and he was out getting some overs in,” said Norris, whose team were playing her former side Southern Vipers that day as part of a T20 double header.
“I managed to pick his brains, which was amazing. It was brilliant. It was really cool to have a chat to him.
“I’ve followed Jimmy’s career the entire time. So just to be able to ask him some questions and chat some bowling stuff was, as I say, a really cool experience.”
Norris, 26, is in her second season with Thunder having moved North from Vipers, where she was a three-time regional title winner, including in the CE Cup.
But she swapped regions in search of greater playing opportunities.
Norris has taken eight wickets in 10 appearances across both regional competitions this season and is bidding to help Thunder reach their second successive Finals Day.
The road to Derby next Saturday continues today, a potentially decisive day, when Thunder face fellow challengers Central Sparks at Edgbaston in their penultimate fixture (3pm).
It is the second of two fixtures on successive days, though yesterday’s clash with Western Storm at Cardiff was abandoned without a ball bowled because of rain.
There is no denying it was a significant blow to Thunder’s chances of reaching the top four, though they are very much still alive.
Thunder, who took two points away from Cardiff, sit fifth in the table on 15 points from eight games. They are two points behind both Sparks in fourth and champions Southern Vipers in third. Both of those regions have three to play, including facing each other on Sunday.
Vipers face bottom-of-the-table Northern Diamonds at home today.
It is likely that Thunder will have to win both of their remaining games to qualify (there are 10 points available), and they face Diamonds in Durham on Wednesday. Though, they could still qualify with one win.
Equally, if things don’t go their way today - losing against Sparks and Vipers beating Diamonds - they would be eliminated.
Put simply, if Thunder only win of their remaining games, they would need either Sparks or Vipers to lose all three of theirs.
It promises to be a fascinating day, with Thunder aiming to complete the double over Sparks having beaten them at Emirates Old Trafford at the end of May.
Anyway, back to Norris, a five-time T20 international for USA having been born in Philadelphia.
Of course, US Cricket is all the rage at the moment given their male team’s progress to the brink of qualification for the T20 World Cup’s Super 8s phase on home soil.
As Thunder take on Sparks today, USA face Ireland in Florida at a similar time knowing that a win would secure their passage through to the next stage.
Under the coaching of Lancashire legend Stuart Law, it has been a remarkable story and one which has captured the imagination of the cricketing fraternity.
Norris, not surprisingly, is delighted by what her compatriots have achieved. After all, qualify or not, they shocked the might of Pakistan last week.
Norris added: “I think it’s great for USA Cricket, really exciting. It’s a huge market.
“With the 2028 Olympics coming up. It’s great exposure.
“If they can get (the game) into the US market, playing games there, it’s really exciting.”
Opposition player to watch
Fast bowler Emily Arlott, also a useful hitter down the order, is amongst this competition’s leading wicket-taker in 2024 with 13 scalps. Only Blaze spinner Kirstie Gordon has taken more with 15.
Out of the seven CE Cup matches so far, Arlott has only failed to strike in one of them and claimed a T20 career best of 4-21 in their win over South East Stars at Canterbury on Sunday. That included a hat-trick.
Arlott, 26, is a tall who hasn’t always taken the new ball.
Last weekend, she did in Saturday’s defeat to Diamonds at Edgbaston but at Canterbury was their sixth bowler used and claimed all her wickets inside the last three overs of the innings.
In summer 2021, Arlott was called up by England during a series with India but didn’t play. She has, however, represented England A.
Previous meeting
This is the second meeting between these two regions in the ongoing Charlotte Edwards Cup, Thunder winning by three wickets at Emirates Old Trafford on May 30.
Fi Morris returned a superb all-round display, claiming three wickets with her off-spinners added to an opening 43 in reply.
Sparks recovered from 72-6 in the 14th over having been inserted to 121-8, with Emily Arlott top-scoring with 28 from number eight. Seamers Tara Norris and Phoebe Graham (3-16 from four overs) shared five wickets.
In reply, Thunder were led by Morris and were well placed at 42-1 after five overs. They had a bit of a scare when she departed to leave the score at 90-5 in the 14th over.
But 23 for Ailsa Lister was important, as were a couple of 10s for Liberty Heap and Norris to see the hosts over the line with nine balls remaining.